The Day of Atonement in our Town

By H. Mendelsohn (Nezo York)

Already in the morning hours of the eve of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement),
certain disquiet could be felt among the Jews of our townlet. Everybody hurried
to pray in public. The coming of the holiday was noticeable. The everyday
hustle and bustle stopped suddenly, the usual gayety disappeared from
everyone's face; everybody was seized by a feeling of gloom when the last
preparations for receiving the Great Holy Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) were
finished. People became friendlier to one another; the enemies of yesterday
reconciled; shop-keepers, bitter competitors, smiled at one another, wishing to
forget the harm done by one to another, for the sake of a piece of bread,
during the entire year.

Everybody walked hurriedly to the afternoon prayer (Minha), lest they might
 God forbid  come late. The synagogues were packed. Right next to
the entrance there stood long tables with plates belonging to various
charitable institutions like "Meot Hitim for Orphans (Financial Aid given
before the Passover Holiday), Interest Free Funds for the Poor" (Gmilat
Hesed) etc.; it's impossible to remember all such institutions since there was
no lack of needy persons in the town. Everybody dropped a coin some a large one
and others a small one  but all made a contribution, requesting
forgiveness for their sins, and was there anyone who had not sinned?

The prayers were ardent and everyone felt the earnestness of the coming hour.
Immediately after the afternoon prayer people rushed home to eat the last meal
before the Great Fast. My father, dressed in a white garment, blessed the
children while my mother was lighting the candles.

This unforgettable picture is still in my memory. The room is shrouded in
partial darkness. My God-fearing mother, slight in stature and with a delicate
face, never failed to thank and praise the Almighty and to say the
benedictions, as he stooped above the tallow candles and cried.

"Why is mother crying?", I asked my older brother. "She is
thanking the Almighty for the kindness He has shown her till now, and she is
asking Him for health and means of livelihood for father in America and for all
of us," replied my brother.

I knew, in fact, that father found it difficult to earn his living in America.
Otherwise, we would not have to buy on credit and mother would not have to
pluck feathers in the late winter-evenings, and to knit woollen table-cloths
she did it with real artistic talent  as well as to work in gardens in
the heat of the summer, in order to earn something. Therefore, her prayer
asking for means of living for my father in America, was understandable to me;
even then I could not grasp the meaning of her expressions of gratitude for the
favours God had shown her, but my God-fearing mother thought differently.

Then we all went to the synagogue to "Kol Nidrei".

The Kamenetz Synagogue was a tall, circular building whose outward appearance
reminded more of an ancient temple than of a modern synagogue. Inside it looked
even larger and more beautiful. The blue-painted ceiling was so high that it
could hardly be seen with a naked eye. Indeed, the ceiling represented the sky
with sparkling stars exquisitely painted. But most striking was the hand-made
woodcarving stretching along the entire height of the wall on both side of the
Holy Ark. On one side were carved various wild animals living in the forest;
their teeth were protruding and the beasts looked as if they were alive and
always ready to defend the persecuted Jewish people against its attackers. On
the other side various fruit trees were carved. They symbolized the time when
the Jewish people would be in its own land and enjoy its own fruits. All this
had been done by an artist endowed with great talent; it was told that he had
succeeded to create only two such works and one of them was in our synagogue.

On the Yom Kippur night the synagogue was crowded and brightly illuminated by
hanging lamps; a forest of burning wax candles cast dark shades; along the
eastern wall the older men of our town, clad in white garments, were swaying
slowly like old trees in a woods and murmuring prayers; complete silence
reigned while everybody held his breath and waited for the cantor to been
chanting the "Kol Nidrei".

The notables of the town also came to hear the cantor and they were standing on
the pulpit with an expression of awe and reverence on their faces. As soon as
the sounds of the "Kol Nidrei", chanted by the town cantor H. Yaffe
and the choir, were heard, everyone was filled with awe and felt the approach
of the hour of reckoning. Though many years have elapsed since those times, I
still cannot forget the tremendous impression made on me by the sweet, soul
stirring chant. The town-cantor H. Yaffe, rather short and with long white
hair, was a man endowed with many talents. Besides being a cantor he also
painted sign-boards for shop-keepers and was learned in the Law; though neither
he, nor the local young people who sang in the choir had ever attended a
conservatory, they all knew how to read musical notes and had to sing
harmoniously. Whenever one of the young singers committed the slightest
mistake, a glance of the cantor was sufficient to correct it at once. The
cantor Yaffe possessed not only a powerful, wailing voice; he was an excellent
interpreter of Jewish prayers. Even those who did not understand their text,
could easily grasp their meaning. Who is able to forget his Rainfall Prayer and
his other compositions  real pearls causing delight to everyone who heard
them.

And in such a manner we were standing on the Yom Kippur evening and deriving
pleasure from the soul-stirring prayers.

During the entire Day of Atonement hardly anyone was seen in the streets.
Complete silence reigned over the whole townlet: only the chanting of prayers
in the synagogues could be heard. The "Neilah" Prayer which concluded
the services on the Day of Atonement was recited by the cantor with much
heartfelt emotion. Every word expressed sorrow and supplication. Was it not the
last hour in which the fate of everyone would be sealed? Who could know what
one's own fate would be? But as soon as the cantor lifted his hands up to
Heavens and cried our in his powerful voice: "Open the gate, for the day
is almost gone!", all of us believed that the gates had really been
opened, that our prayers had been accepted; with a light heart we uttered the
phrase "Next Year in Jerusalem", and so the Yom Kippur service in our
town came to an end.

When I reflect upon those bygone times and think about those Jews who are not
with us anymore, I begin to realize how many talented people perished in our
own town and how great their achievements would have been if they had lived in
other places and in different circumstances.

There are no Jews and no synagogues left in Kamenetz. All that remained are
the memories. Who can forget them?

[Page 73]

The Years of my Youth in Kamenetz-Litovsk

By Hatzkel Kagan

Many images are engraved in my memory, and first among these are the religious
teachers ("melamdim") of my youth who planted in my heart the desire
to learn.

I remember Joseph Vigotov. A fine person, a scholar and active in communal
work, he was a teacher at the "Talmud Torah" School, which was
located in a side lane in the Christian quarter, where the court was later
situated. His beautiful commentaries on the Book of Psalms still resound in my
ears. It sounded poetic when he recited melodiously the chapter "Ashrei
Haish" and when he exclaimed "Lama Ragshu Hagovim"; all of us in
the room felt as if it were a call to the whole Jewish people. We all loved
learning together with him.

I remember also Ben-Zion, a more "modern" Rabbi, a teacher and a
pedagogue. He taught us the Bible, the Talmud, the Grammar, arithmetic and
writing. It is interesting to note that when we learned the Book of Esther his
comments bore the character of a modern explanation. We could see vividly the
events of the past. Every Saturday, instead of having an ordinary lesson with
us, he would read us stories from the "Hagada". Their beauty
captivated us, and this was largely due to the exciting manner in which they
were read aloud by our teacher. As to the words of rebuke he directed at us,
they sounded more or less like this: "Listen fellows. Now, at the time you
are young, it is time for you to learn. You will have enough time in the future
to stroll on the bridges and to wander in the streets. However, if you study,
you will be respected by your fellowmen, no matter where you find
yourselves".

Another memory is linked with my father who used to pay frequent visits to
Rabbi Burstein. My father was active in the community's affairs and people from
all walks of life praised his honesty and Willingness to help others. Once, on
a Saturday, my father took me with him to be examined by the Rabbi, as was
customary in those days. Noticing my nervousness, the Rabbi calmed me. I passed
my "exam" well and smoothly, to the satisfaction of both the Rabbi
and my father.

Every day the Rabbi honored the Main Street by walking along it on his way to
the "Shepsel" Synagogue where he used to pray. He preached twice a
year in the large brick synagogue  on the Saturday which falls between
the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement and on the Saturday which precedes
the Passover.

The Rabbi officiated at wedding ceremonies which usually took place outdoors
near a synagogue and were attended by the majority of the town's inhabitants.

The Rabbi was respected in the town by all kinds of people for his wise advice
given on various problems. He used to travel to North America to sell the books
he wrote.

The members of his family were educated too. Rabbi Burstein's house was very
near to the house of Motie "Klepechiner".

I should like to mention the name of Shlomke Mandelblatt, the permanent
secretary of the municipality. He warmly responded to all those who applied to
him for help and advice. He always had an encouraging word for them as he
filled in questionnaires for those who were getting ready to emigrate or had
received a call to military service. Another example of extending help to his
fellow-men was given by "Little" Mendele Levin. Mendele, the Hassid,
went around with a basket on Saturday afternoon to collect "halot"
for the needy. I remember the joy of the housewives who carried the
"halot" for him; they blessed him for he had enabled them to fulfil a
religious precept (mitzvah).

My memory takes me to a winter day in 1927. On a frosty Sunday morning, we, a
group of young boys, were walking in a street inhabited by Christians. Suddenly
we heard a voice of crying children. It came from a Christian house with a
thatched roof and tiny windows covered by snow. We entered the house and saw a
number of huddled childish fioures dressed in rags, and crying because of
hunger and cold. It turned out that a weaver's family with many children lived
in that little house. Shmerl Solnitze, Shaye, the Melamed's son, who was
together with us, was the first to react. He exclaimed that in such terrible
conditions the children would die of hunger and cold and he called us to act
immediately. We entered the neighboring houses and recounted what we had seen.
Soon, firewood, food and money were collected and each one contributed whatever
he could.

A philantropic organization carrying the Hebrew name "Linat Tzedek"
(Hospice for the Poor) was active in the town. Its purpose was to aid the
families of the sick. The "equipment" it possessed was very modest
indeed. It included several thermometers to us in compresses, a clyster and a
rubber container for holding ice. The ice was for use in compresses applied to
the head. When the typhus epidemic was raging in Kamenetz a young man and a
young girl from the "Linat Tzedek" organization used to visit the
sick every night. They attended to the patients, gave them juice to drink,
applied cold compresses to their heads and helped in other ways, thus bringing
relief to numerous families.

The Great Yeshivah, with dozens of students from various towns and cities,
played a great part in the life of our town. Many families drew their
livelihood from the institution. The Yeshivah bordered on the Beit Hamidrash
where the students learned avidly and ardently arguing vigorously about the
Law. In the time between the after-break into a song, whose moving, sad melody
plunged the outside onlookers into gloom. But during the joyful celebrations of
the Feast of Water Drawing (Simhat Beit Hashoevah) and Rejoicing of the Law
(Simhat Torah) the students sang and danced joyfully.

On the Sunday preceding the Day of Atonement, with an orchestra playing,
Kamenetz welcomed the arriving Head
of the Yeshivah, Rabbi Barukh Baer. Young and old, men, women and children
streamed to the highway. After a long wait they finally saw the arriving Head
of the Yeshiveh and his assistants. The people of Kamenetz cheered the arriving
guests who were welcomed with great honor by prominent town representatives.

An apartment had already been prepared for the Yeshivah Head and his
assistants. It was located in the Main Street, in the house formerly occupied
by a pharmacy.

The Yeshivah became an integral part of the town. It exercised great influence
on its spiritual life, particularly in the earlier period when there were no
secular Hebrew or Yiddish schools.

While dealing with the educational and cultural aspects of our life in Kamenetz
I ought to mention the four Sapirstein brothers: Asher, Shlomke, Velvel and
Hershel. They were well known in town as teachers, each one of them in a
different field. I attended the class led by Asher Sapirstein. The lessons took
place at his home in a side lane near the Kobrynska Street. Even today I still
remember his lovely Biblical chants.

Shlomke taught a group of children including Yosel, the son of Ephraim Kotebe,
Golde and Feigl, Rivele's sisters.

Shmelke taught my class geography, natural sciences and noon and evening
prayers the Yeshivah students would arithmetic. Velvel and Hershel worked as
teachers in other towns.

Asher used to stage well-known theatrical plays like "The Sale of
Joseph", "Shulamit" and others. His three brothers Velvel,
Hershel and Shlomke, as well as Shlomke's wife, Zelda, were the chief actors.
Also Isaac Wolender and Sara Rudnitsky also played their parts exceedingly well.

Asher staged the well-known Goldfaden operetta "Di Kishefmacherin"
("The Sorceress"). The actors were a group of young workers 
boys and girls  Sender (David Pasheker's son) played the role of
"Babe Yakhne", the witch; a tailor's apprentice who played the role
of the little "Duckling" sang very nicely. Bashka, Maya Golde's
daughter, a pretty young girl who appeared in the main role as
"Babkelech" acted and sang beautifully. The operetta was successfully
performed several times. The public warmly applauded the actors.

The theatrical activity was a great contribution to the town's cultural life.

There were in the town three important cultural institutions. Those were the
Shalom-Aleichem Library, the Children's Library and the Y. L. Peretz
Library. The last one had a rich choice of books in Yiddish. The youth read
avidly the books of our great classics: Mendele (Mokher Sfarim), Peretz,
Shalom-Aleichem, Shalom Asch, Abraham Reisin and others. The literary critics
Baal-Maha-shavot, Niger and Trunk were also widely read. But the world
literature and its classics in Yiddish translations were not neglected either.
During walks taken in the summer evenings we used to discuss and express our
opinions on the books we had read.

In its premises in a little street in Odalina, the Y. L. Peretz Library
arranged well frequented "box-evenings". Everyone who wanted to ask a
question could do it by writing its contents on a piece of paper and dropping
it into a box which stood on the table around which the organizers read out the
question and asked whether anyone from the public could reply to it. Many of
those present replied according to their knowledge and lively debates ensued.
Our knowledge was enriched thanks to this collective learning. Literary
evenings, where excerpts from books were read and anlyzed, also took place. The
critical judgments were usually on a high level. Thus the Library was for us
the key to knowledge which could be attained by everyone.

The Zionist Organizations. The Z. O. had its "headquarters" in
Relken's house. It propagated the Zionist idea and its activity was most
intensive among the youth of the town. The organization sold
"shekels" which were the annual membership fee to the Z. O.,
collected money for the Jewish National Fund and the Jewish Foundation Fund.
Speakers from the Central Organization would come frequently to stimulate the
collections.

The Zionist organization was active in the cultural field, too, and organized
on Saturday literary evenings with the participation of guest artists. I recall
an interesting evening devoted to a trial of Shakespeare's "Shylock".
The hall was crowded and the air stuffy, but complete quiet reigned when Lipa
Horovitz, one of the local Zionist leaders and a talented speaker, was reading
the contents of the play. The assembly followed with interest the proceedings
of the trial and listened intently to the prosecutor's and defendant's speeches.

The right wing of the "Poalei Zion" Party was also active in
Kamenetz. It was located in a house next to Beit-Hamidrash. The youth
organization "Freiheit" ("Freedom") which was affiliated to
it. had a self-education circle. Speakers from Brest used to visit us often.
The comrades Rogzhansky and Sheinman organized propaganda meetings, whose theme
was a Jewish homeland constructed on socialist principles. In 1927 a conference
of Youth organizations took place in Brest in the hall of the artisans' union.
I was one of the delegates. I received instructions from Israel Freier and Haya
Krakowsky. The principal speaker at the conference was Shpizman from the Head
Organization in Warsaw.

The youth in our townlet was searching for a purpose and a practical aim in
life, but even learning a trade was a problem. There were excellent tradesmen
and craftsmen in Kamenetz: shoemakers, tailors, furriers, carpenters, smiths,
tanners, a cartwright, a potter, and three barbers. One or two of each trade
possessed his own house.

Nevertheless, the earnings of the skilled workers were not sufficient to make
ends meet. People worked long hours six days a week. Finally, trade unionism
began to gain a foothold in the townlet. An organizer from the tailor's trade
union arrived from Brest and a strike was declared in tailoring establishments.
Tailors and sempstresses gained an 8 hour working day and better employment
conditions. A strike broke out in shoemakers establishments too, but the
employers put up strong resistance and did not give up. This time the strikers
gained only shorter working hours.

A leftist underground organization was formed in the town to fight against
lawlessness in the province of Polesie, to which Kamenetz belonged. Indeed, the
Poles regarded Polesie as their colony and the Polish police maltreated the
peasants. No wonder that the propaganda spread by the organization struck deep
roots among the impoverished local peasantry.

Before May 1st, secret meetings were held to stress the importance of the
Workers' Day. Every gathering assembled in a different place  in
"Mogilki" in the nearby woods, in the "valley" past the
Kobrynska Street or in homes of workers who lived in side lanes. Young boys
were standing guard to warn the assembled of any possible danger.

On May 1st, 1928 a public demonstration took place. The demonstrators 
mostly young peasants  arrived in their Sunday clothes. The men wore red
ribbons, the women donned bright dresses and red kerchiefs. They gathered in
the market square opposite the Russian Monastery. When one of them began making
a speech, the police intervened, dispersing the gathering and arresting several
demonstrators. The assembled peasants dispersed, throwing stones at the police.
The townspeople refrained from taking part in the clash.

On a winter's night, plain-clothed and uniformed policemen, who had come from
Brest, carried out a search in a dozen houses and dragged out of their beds
youths suspected of revolutionary activity. These were the first arrests that
occurred in town. The parents and other relatives cried helplessly while the
young men were being taken to the Brest Prison.

For a long time afterwards the town remained gripped by fear and uneasiness.
But the young people displayed political maturity, discussed social problems
and hoped that in the future life would be more beautiful and just.

Our small town awakened to new life thanks to increased motor traffic,
especially after buses had begun to run regularly on the
Brest-Zhabinka-Kamenetz route. The bus station became an attraction for young
and old. They used to wait for the arriving buses to meet the passengers, or
receive greetings from Brest and Zhabinka and to take a look at the "new
faces" of people from other towns who arrived in Kamenetz. People would
also meet at the station to see the outgoing buses. Whoever wanted to have a
bite could get it from Motke Kotek who sold foodstuffs of good quality. His
kiosk was standing right next to the station in Brest Street opposite the row
of stores.

This regular communication enabled the Kamenetz youth to visit Brest
frequently, and enriched the cultural life in our town. Wandering theatrical
groups often showed up in Kamenetz, particularly during the holidays of
Passover, Shavuoth and Succoth, and performed many well known plays. The
performances took place in Motye Klepecherer's barn or in a large building in
Otzalina. The spectators enjoyed the shows which ended late at night.

On the whole the young people strove to leave for the wide world. Those who had
an opportunity to emigrate to the United States were considered the most
fortunate. Many left for Argentine, Cuba, Palestine, Australia and other
countries. Our townsmen struck roots in and became citizens of many countries,
and established families. Their children acquired higher education and became
teachers, physicians, engineers, druggists, chemists, businessmen, skilled
craftsmen, etc.

Though our life was restricted, it was nevertheless varied. After all, people
learned in traditional religious schools ("heder"), continued in
Talmud Torah, in the Yeshivah, had private teachers; they married, raised
children, belonged to political parties and dreamed of a better future; they
read books and newspapers. Several persons subscribed to one copy and it went
from hand to hand.

I ought to devote a few lines to the shops. They provided the main source of
livelihood for the Kamenetz Jews. Most of the stores were in two rows divided
from one another by wooden partition walls.

On ordinary weekdays the shopkeepers used to wait for customers. On hot summer
days the two rows of shops provided pleasant shade. In winter time, amidst
frost and snow, one had to stamp one's feet to keep oneself warm. Women
clutched little pots filled with charcoals to warm themselves. In winter, they
wore hoods, long scarves and knee-high felt shoes.

The principal source of income was market-day. On every Thursday and on the
fifth day of each month, peasants from the neighboring villages came to
Kamenetz to do their shopping. There were also yearly fairs named after saints.
Then shopkeepers hired boys and girls to keep an eye on the merchandise brought
specially for market day. The young helpers received one and a half Zloty a day
for their work. The merchandise usually came from Brest by wagons drawn by
horse.

It must be said that the wagon-owners in Kamenetz, who were fathers of large
families, were respectable people and made a decent living. Yeshivah students
ate at their tables on fixed week days and on Sabbaths.

The coachmen of Kamenetz-Litovsk were considered as belonging to the merchant
class. The wholesale merchants from Brest greatly respected them for their
honesty and put faith in their word.

Those entering the town to sell their goods had to pay a special toll. The tax
collectors were Jewish youths hired by the municipality. This led to
dissatisfaction on the part of the peasants coming to town. They used to come
from far and near in order to sell a horse, a caw, a calf, a lamb, a pig,
chickens, ducks, geese, eggs, corn, fruits, hides, pig hair and wagon loads of
timber. Horse merchants and cow merchants used to come too. When the
intermediaries with their big sticks clapped their hands the deal was regarded
as concluded.

Potters would display earthenware pots, bowls and dishes.

Shopkeepers displayed colored kerchiefs and nailed boots right at the entrance.
Cheap ready-made clothes were, with a pull here and a squeeze there, made to
fit the peasant who put them on. The cartwright prepared brand new cartwheels
ready for sale. The smiths were very busy shoeing horses. The hardware
merchants exhibited sickles, harrows, nails and other tools needed by the
villagers. The bakers had been working hard to supply the stands with fresh
breads, rolls, with garlands of large and small "beigeleich".

Beyle Hoch served soda-water from a copper container wrapped in ragged cloth
and sold chocolate-colored ice-cream from a barrel. The look of halvah, various
delicacies and even herring, tickled the palates of the onlookers. The
villagers ate bread with herring which was kept in barrels. The pubs and
taverns were full of men and women from the neighboring villages. They drank
vodka and had a bite of fried fish. Curses of drunken peasants could be heard
all the time. The crowds milled about, buying and selling or just looking
around. An organ-grinder, with a parrot on the barrel-organ, was busy selling
horoscopes. Peasant women paid a few groshes to learn about their fate.
Ordinary swindlers and pickpockets, who had come from faraway to try their
luck, had a field day. Cries and shouts of the victims who lost all their money
were heard long afterwards.

The merchants and shopkeepers were busy trying to attract the attention of the
peasants and persuade them to enter the shops. Then interminable, exhausting
haggling ensued. Even those inhabitants of Kamenetz who did not engage in any
buying or selling joined the crowds and watched the proceedings of the market
day. With sundown the market ended and everyone left in all directions.

One of the simple pleasures we enjoyed was the stroll along the Main Street
along Kobrynska Street which stretched to Napiski and to the bridges across the
river. The river was the division between Kamenetz and the suburb Zastavye. The
youngsters liked rowing on its waters. Sometimes they sang to the accompaniment
of a musical instrument. In springtime the meadows on both sides of the river
were covered with yellowish flowers and looked like golden carpets.

The stroll on Saturday night or on holiday was something of a tradition.
Everyone put on his best clothes and went out into the Main Street, 
married couples, lovers, groups of boys and girls. Some spoke softly, others
expressed their opinions loudly trying to persuade the opponents with their
arguments. The subjects of the talks were varied and included literature,
politics, world and local events.

This went on for generations. I can still hear the youthful laughter in the
streets of Kamenetz of Kamenetz that exists no longer...

Rabbi
Reuben David Hacohen Burshtein

[Page 85]

Kamenetz - The Memories of my Youth

By Itzhak Sheinfeld (Brooklyn, N. Y.)

Kamenetz  the little town where I was born after World War I, where I
went to school and spent the years of my youth.

Our family lived in the Kobrynska Street, near the hospital. My father was a
wood-merchant, who made trips to the adjoining townlets and country-side to buy
plots of timber; the trees were cut and sold for use in building. When I was a
little boy my father took me with him on some of his trips and I admired the
village-Jews. My father used to mediate whenever differences arose between a
Jewish villager and his White Russian, Christian neighbours.

Neighbours from the Kobrynska Street often gathered in our house to discuss
local problems, to find ways and means of helping a needy person or of securing
the water supply for the inhabitants of the street. That was quite a problem
since the municipality refused to sink a new well and the management of the
hospital did not allow us to use the well belonging to the hospital. The Jewish
inhabitants of the Kobrynska Street had to supply the financial means and
laborers to carry out the work, but the efforts were necessary and successful.
I remember the Yeshivah students, walking in the streets and engaged in lively
discussions on religious subjects.

During the winter-evenings we heard sounds of hammer-blows coming from the
smithies of Pesah Gorinsky and Gedaha Rubinstein; at the same time the vanes of
the wind-mills belonging to two old Jews, Rav Yeshayahu Ash-kenazi and Rav
Israel Timiansky were turning with a groan.

In the inclement wintry evenings the old religious teacher, Alter Velvel
trudged in deep snowdrifts to teach the children the fundamentals of Jewish
religion, the prayers and recitations like "Mode Ani" and "Kriat
Shema".

There were many devoted Jews in Kamenetz. Asher Sapirstein, a private teacher,
taught smaller groups and opened a "heder" which drew many pupils.
The religious chants, the melodies of chanted prayers and biblical intonations
can never be forgotten. Asher Sapirstein, a traditional religious teacher of
the new type hired another teacher who gave lessons in the Polish language to
anyone interested in it.

In 1928, the government decreed that all children between the ages of 6 and 14
must learn the Polish language. The Talmud-Torah employed a teacher from the
Polish State elementary school to teach Polish as a regular subject. I should
like to add that Jewish girls had learned in the Polish State elementary school
before the Jewish boys.

Later on five Jewish boys registered to enter the Polish school. They were:
Herzl Sapirstein, Mendel Szczytnicki; (Bezalel's son), Itzhak Sheinfeld, Shimon
Wolfson and Israel Maretzky. We did it ignoring the fact that the majority of
Kamenetz Jews frowned upon us. But we still learned Yiddish and Hebrew in the
"heder" of Asher Sapirstein; later on our Hebrew teacher was Velvel
Haim Kirshenbaum, an ardent Zionist.

The Jewish youngsters did not feel at ease among the Christian pupils.
Therefore we were encouraged when two years later more Jewish boys enrolled in
the Polish school. The majority of them finished their studies at the age of
fourteen. Many went to other towns to enter religious learning institutes
(Yeshivot).

The Zionist movement "Gordonia", under the leadership of Pinhas
Rudnitsky, occupied the most important place among all youth organizations in
Kamenetz, and was the most active one. When the Revisionist party  the
"Beitar"  was founded in the town, Lipa Hurwitz and Binyamin
Bogatin became its local leaders.

Leadership of the Gordonia movement in Kamenetz-Litovsk

Members of the "Beitar" joined the Volunteer Fire Brigade; the
municipal council and the mayor Piotrowski appreciated the abilities shown by
the young fellows. When the town-orchestra was reorganized and named "The
Firemen Orchestra" it included members of the "Beitar".

Kamenetz was the focal point for the surrounding townlets. Members of the
"Gordonia" and "Beitar" from Wysokie Litewskie,
Czemopczyce, Zhabinka, Szereszew and other localities, took part in the Lag
Baomer celebrations. The Zionist Organization invited the local, higher
officials to participate in the festivities. In addition to the town-mayor, the
police-chief, the judge and the officials of the local council, all Jewish
house-owners were invited.

In the thirties, with the approach of the elections to the World Zionist
Congress, a festive atmosphere reigned in Kamenetz. The elections evoked great
interest and almost every Jewish household bought a "shekel" in order
to acquire the voting-right.

Pre-election propaganda campaigns were conducted by the various organizations.
Public meetings were held in the synagogues, in the building of the old, Polish
elementary school and in the theatre-hall. In addition to local speakers
well-known public figures from others towns also came to Kamenetz to speak.

Despite differences of opinions on political matters friendly relations existed
among the political organizations and party-leaders. Pinhas Rudnitsky, for
example, who led the local "Gordonia", was a close friend of the
"Beitar" leader Binyamin Bogatin.
In
the years 1936-37 the activity of the Zionist Organization in Kamenetz
weakened and almost ceased. There was, however, a group of young people who
collected money for the Keren Kayemet (Jewish National Fund); the treasurer of
the Fund in Kamenetz, Yosef Grinblatt used to send the contributions to the
Head Office in Warsaw. The group consisted of: Itzhak Sheinfeld, Yosef Feldman,
Noah Goldberg, Reuven Szczytnicki and Yacov Weizhandler.

Our companion, Israel Goldshall, a native of Pinsk, was at that time teaching
in the Pinsk Talmud-Torah Secondary School. In 1939 he became a teacher in
Kamenetz and taught the children Hebrew.

Following discussions with him, on the subject of reviving the Zionist movement
in Kamenetz, it was decided to establish a branch of the "Hashomer
Hatzair". Yosef Feldman was named as the leader and Itzhak Sheinfeld as
the secretary whose duties would include also correspondence with the Central
Office in Warsaw. Noah Goldberg became the second-in-command and Reuven
Szczytnicki the treasurer.

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